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Archive for February, 2011

I am going out of town this weekend, which means the daunting task of packing. I’m one of those who randomly chooses what to wear in the five minutes I’m scrambling t get out the door, so putting thought into planning outfits and making sure I have everything I need is not a pleasant task.

Even more unpleasant when I find that some of the stones on my favorite all-purpose black 3/4 sleeve cardigan’s buttons are missing!! SAD DAY!!! So I decide this pilling sweater is worth keeping, and go to raid my buttons. Darn! I don’t have 8 coordinating buttons (let alone matching ones). Time to steal some from my bead collection. Because of the tiny size of the existing buttonholes, I have to opt for beads that I can rig to fit through the holes and still look cute.

Ta-da! Sewing some pretty pinkish and white swirly glass-like buttons that I freecycled from someone’s unwanted jewelry. Perfect. (I love when I can fix something for free)

Okay, so I stumbled upon this site, via a friend… that said he earned a little extra cash filling out surveys and so forth. So… I figured what’s the harm. Heck, maybe some of you are in school too, and who doesn’t need a little something extra, or at the very least something other than facebook to burn some free time on.

No new crafts created today, I had work. But, I decided it was necessary to include a brief blog with my past art projects that decorated my home. All of the following pictures were created and copyrighted by me. Thanks and gig ’em!

Ok, so sometimes I get in that toddler mood where I have to “show mommy what I did”. Being 25, I’m sure my mommy is wondering when I will grow out of this phase. Truth be told, NEVER. We all like to be acknowledged for things we do, me more than most. ;-)* Kidding aside, maybe some of the things I have done to make my life in a tiny apartment more comfortable can be used by some of you.

Growing up on acreage has its perks. Exhibit 1, a yield sign thing off the back of an old tractor. I found it walking around at my parent’s house barely peeking out from a ton of dirt. With a little jute cord through the screw holes, I found a new way to hang this on my apartment wall and remind me of home. My cousin and his wife gave me the alma matter die cut emblem and it was a happy addition to my rustic and modern ecclectic decor.

I had a barespot on this awkward piece of wall next to my bed. I have two windows in my room that no matter how I arrange my 10 X 10 cell (aka room) one gets masked by my yummy queen-sized piece of heaven. Needless to say, my saved-from-my-friends-curb headboard blocks half of one window but leaves this empty space. Solution? Paint a neutral painting. (horses are my favorite subject).

Living in a college town, also translates into crummy storage options in a bathroom. These milk crate-style boxes were purchased at Michael’s for about a buck, and since I paint, I already had the acrylic paint to create black shelves. Add some tchotchkes, a few pushpins to hold the mirror and its almost done. A restaurant I worked at part time sold their drinking glasses as to-go cups (ie, mason jars). Taking some craft glue, modgepodge, and scrap fabric and voila! Instant storage for cutips, cotton balls and makeup removing pads.

Ignore the hand sensoring my favorite little sisters out of the shot. This frame had lost its glass, and its backing. Not a problem if you like barnwood frames regardless. Using jute cord, a staple gun, a few home photos and a birthday card or two, and you have a perfect next to the desk organizer/art. Ps. the card has my favorite quote: “Happiness is like peeing your pants. Everyone can see it, but only you can feel its warmth.” 🙂

Another broken frame that fit over a canvas art I had done a while back. (watercolor and stain-glass lead-free piping) Above it, but not pictured, is a metal die-cut that I believe my dad made a long time ago, it says welcome and has a western star–perfect for the entrance to my room. (even if it makes my roomies think I am some kind of hick…. There’s nothing wrong with knowing how to weld, or raise animals, or be domestic. Both of my parents contributed to my “learning”, and if being a ‘hick’ (i prefer rural domestic goddess) means I can take care of myself in most situations… I’m okay with that.)

Okay, so I was sooo excited to get rolling on a project for these thrifted curtains, and as I had them air drying over my shower rod, I decided one of these purple panels was destined to facelift my bathroom.

<—Before, not too bad, except I am now realizing it needs some serious steaming/ironing. (oh well, it’s coming down anyway)

Next step was to pull out my left over grommet set (from my halloween costume corset making–yikes that was painful–the process not the corset) and to take my existing curtain to use as a guide for the new holes. (see the clear rings)

I couldn’t find my hole punch, so I used some scissors to mark an “x” where I had drawn my holes. After this is completed, I take the two pieces that make the grommet and pass through the hole.

So when I test hung it up, I realized these panels where waaaayy long, so I eyeballed it when trimming it.

Next, I attached my trusty-dusty plastic rings, hung it up. Oh no! This is too boring! It’s a wow ’em color, but just kinda hanging there. NOT acceptable. lol. Time to get creative with some of the bits I trimmed off the bottom. Rosettes and leaves would be the perfect adornment.

So I used the quickie idea to make ruffles with the sewing machine and hand warp that wadded mess into a purposefully messy rosette.

Here is an up close shot of two of my rosettes and three leaves. After sewing on the first leaf, I realized using the excess white lining from the curtain would provide a good contrast. You can’t see it real well in the picture, but I have a fushia-pink swirly design as well. (all completed with a slow pulse on the sewing maching)

the final product (don’t mind the scrunching on the right–my trash can is in the way.)

No work, no class. MMmmm, I’m viewing today as a blank canvas. I recently started posting wonderful things to my etsy account, as well as snooping at my fellow ‘etsians’ for ideas of projects to start. I love being active and having things to do, but being in graduate school and currently only working part-time limits my funding for these projects. But, today is my blank canvas. It was primed (with research and ideas) and ready for the application of wonderfulness. Yay! Where to start? I found nothing that screamed at me on the usual craigslist or freecycle, so off on an adventure to various thrift shops it was. I was still uninspired after going to the local goodwill. (That’s actually an epidemic here as, I live in predominantly a college town, so finding cool kitschy stuff or unique tchotchkes or old things in need of love is kinda a challenge.) I found a new resale shop. I am so excited because, now, I have a VeRy, VERY affordable way to continue crafting. Browsing the racks of stuff, I stumble upon the sheets and curtains. I begin to forage through these vintage-looking fabrics and my brain is trying to process what I can do with each piece. Then, I fall in LOVE. Someone has discarded some beautiful curtains. And I mean, beautiful. AND plentiful. There are about 15 panels of this gorgeous royal purple with fushia-y toned duponi silk curtains.Best part? $2.00 a panel!!! Holy Cow! I have just hit the motherload. My only sadness is that my budget would only allow the purchase of five panels. I’m torn between cleaning them up and using them in their current condition as window treatments, or actually following my heart to make something “uh-mazing”. I am super, über-excited! (and, I’m watching HGTV…lol). I cannot possibly wait until the delicate cycle of washing is complete so that I can play! (Hey, I had to get rid of the “thrift-store funk”, if ya know what I mean. lol)